Screen printing



A. EDDY SCREEN PRINTING Oct. 30, 1945.

Filed March 13, 1944 H IN VEN TOR.

All/YOU] 00) Patented Oct. 30, 1945 SCREEN PRINTING Arnold Eddy, Middletown, Coma, assignor of onehalf to Hilda W. Striker, New York, N. Y.

Application March 13, 1944, Serial No. 526,202

16 Claims.

My present invention relates to screen printing.

The conventional and well-known method of printing textile fabrics by the screen printing process employs long tables to which the textile fabric is secured before printing. Up to now, the fabric to be printed was pinned by hand to the top of the table which was covered with felt and cloth to which latter the fabric to be, printed was pinned.

It is one of the objects of my invention to eliminate the labor of pinning the fabric to be printed to the table by hand.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a method and means for stretching the fabric to be printed uniformly over the table surface and thereby eliminating scallops near the selvage.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism which will secure the fab ric to the table in such a way as to permit printing of the fabric up to the selvage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a printing table which is not covered with a basic cloth of the usual type.

Still a further object of my invention consists in securing the fabric to the table in such a manner as to avoid displacement of the fabric relative to the table during printing and thereby to prevent inaccuracies in the printed pattern.

With the above objects in view, my present invention mainly consists in securing the textile fabric to be printed on a stationary printing table by pasting it onto the same by means-of a permanently slightly sticky adhesive, e. g. wax and wax-like substances.

The novel features which I consider as characteristic for my invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional obiects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a top .view of a printing table equipped with my new pasting apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side view of the table and apparatus shown in Figure 1; m52;igure 3 is a side view of the pasting apparatus Figure 4 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a rear view of the guiding means seen in direction of arrow 5 on Fig. 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the stationary printing table It consists of a table top i I supported by table legs l2.

The pasting apparatus itself as shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4 consists of a carriage l3 supported by two pressing rolls l4 and I5. Each of these pressing rolls has a width equal to or greater than the width of the fabric IE to be printed. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the whole pasting apparatus is located on top of the printing table I and adapted to move on'the same in longitudinal direction thereof as indicated by arrow l'l. During this movement, it is supported by the pressing rolls II and I5 resting on the table top and pressing against the same. v

The carriage l3 furthermore comprises a metallic framework l8 and supports 19 for a roll 20 of the fabric l6. This fabric roll 20 is arranged in such a manner that it is freely rotatable. Furthermore, this roll is also slidable normal to the direction of movement of the carriage 13, that means the fabric roll 20 is adapted to carry out also lateral movements in direction of arrow 35, if required.

At the front end of carriage l3, means 2| are provided for distributing the adhesive, 1. e. for applying a thin coating 26 of adhesive to the table top H. These means 2| consist of 2. iongitudinal container 22 provided with a slit-shaped opening 23 at the bottom through which the adhesive 24 is dripped onto the table top II and a distributing plate 25 equally distributing this adhesive so that only a very thin coating 26 of this adhesive remains on the table top H behind plate 25 when the same moves in direction of arrow l'l. Means may be provided for automaticallyt closing the slit-shaped opening 23 at the bottbm of container 22 whenever the carriage I3 is in a position of rest, thereby avoiding unnecessary application of adhesive.

An electric motor 21, chain gears 28 and 29, and transmission chain 30 are provided for-driving, i. e. rotating the pressing roll ll in direction of arrow 3 I, thereby moving the whole carriage together with the roll of fabric 20, the pasting means 2| and pressing rolls l4 and IS in direction of arrow ll. Electric conductors 32 connect the motor 21 with electric sliding contacts 33 cooperating with electric contact rails 34 arranged under the table top ll along the table. These contact rails 34 are arranged in such a manner that contact is made as long as the carriage I3 is moving on the table top and the contact is broken as soon as the carriage reaches one of the ends of the table, thereby automatically starting and stopping movement and operation of the pasting apparatus.

The new pasting apparatus operates as follows: At the beginning of its operation the apparatus is positioned at the left end of the printing table II) as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Operation is started by unwinding a certain length of fabric from the fabric roll 20 and introducing this fabric end between pressing roll 15 and table top H. Then, contact is made between motor 21 and the electric circuit by contact rails 34, whereby the carriage together with fabric roll 20, pasting means 2| and pressingrolls i4 and I starts to move in direction of arrow i1. During the movement of the apparatus from the left to the right end of the table top I I, a thin coating of adhesive is evenly applied to the table top I I. By the movement of the carriage I3, simultaneously a layer of fabric is unwound from the fabric roll 20 and pressed by means of rolls l4 and I5 against the adhesive coated surface of table to II. By this pressure. the fabric layer is caused to adhere to the table top in the required way. When the appartus reaches the left end of table II], the contact between the electric circuit represented by the contact rails 34 and the electric contacts 33 is automatically broken and further movement of the carriage is stopped.

I might also provide means automatically maintaining the fabric roll and the carriage I3 to which this fabric roll is rotatably secured in the required correct position. A top view of these guiding means is shown in Figure 4, while Figure 5 i an enlarged rear view of the same. These means consist of two guiding rollers 36 and 31 freely rotatably pivoted in horizontal direction to vertical shafts 38 which in turn are secured to carriage I3 by brackets 39. These freely rotatable guiding rollers 36 and 31, one of which is attached at the rear end and the other at the front end of the carriage, are contacting and pressing against the rail 40. It is evident that while these two guiding rollers are in contact with this rail 40, the direction of the movement of the carriage l3 will be correct, i. e. the carriage will move parallel to rail 40 and thus in longitudinal direction of the printing table Hi.

In order tokeep the guiding rollers 36 and 31 in permanent contact with the rail 40, I may provide various means slightly turning the entire carriage toward this rail. Thus, I may make the distance between the front roller 31 and the longitudinal axis of the carriage slightly smaller than the distance of the rear roller 36 from this axis. It is evident that this will result in permanent turning of the entire carriage toward the rail, keeping both guidin rollers in permanent contact with this rail and thus enforcing correct direction of the movement of the carriage. The same result may of course also be obtained by other means, e. g. by slightly inclining the pivoting axes ofthe two rolls l4 and I5 toward each other in such a manner as to turn the entire carriage during movement of the same in direction of rail 40.

I wish to stress that it'ls an important feature of my above described device that I avoid the necessity of separate wheels and rails and thus this device can be used for screen printing processes without any change of the printing tables.

I have found that wax and wax-like substances i. e. non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesives are best adapted to serve as adhesives for the purposes of my present invention. when waxy adhesives are used, I combine with the adhesive container 22 heating means so as to melt and dissolve the wax and apply a thin coating of such molten wax to the surface of the table It. Such a waxy i, e. non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive has the great advantage of making removal of the adhesive between consecutive applications of fabric to the table unnecessary, since it is possible to simply take one fabric layer from the table and to apply the next one without any intermediate removal of the adhesive.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in specific screen printing apparatus, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of my invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use in combination with a screen printing table having a considerable length, a device for securing the fabric to be printed to the upper surface of said printing table, aid device comprising a carriage, means for moving said carriage on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, means mounted on said carriage for applying during said movement a thin coating of adhesive to said table surface, said adhesive applying means arranged at that part of said carrige which is located during forward movement of said device at its front end, at least one pressing roll adapted to supp rt said carriage during its movement and to press simultaneously against said stationary printing table on which said carriage is moving, said pressing roll being arranged behind said means for applying said adhesive, means for rotatably supporting on said carriage a roll of the textile fabric to be printed, and means for automatically guiding said carriageduring its movement in longitudinal direction of said printing table, said means consisting in two horizontal guiding rollers being rotatable about vertical axes of rotation and arranged on said carriage spaced in longitudinal direction of the same and pressing against a guiding member on said printing table extending in longitudinal direction of the.

same so as to guide said carriage in longitudinal direction of said printing table.

2. For use in combination with a screen printing table having a considerable length, a device for securing the fabric to be printed to the upper surface of said printing table, said device comprising a carriage, means for moving said carriage on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, means mounted on said carriage for applying during said movement a thin coating of adhesive to said. table surface, saidadhesive apply ng means arranged at that part of said carriage which is located during forward movement of said device at its front end, at least one pressing roll adapted to support said carriage during its movement and to press simultaneously against said stationary printing table on which said carriage is moving, said pressing mamas roll being arranged behind said means for app ing said adhesive, means for rotatably supportin on said carriage a roll of the textile fabric to be 5. For use in combination with a screen printing table having a considerable length, a device for securing the fabric to be printed to the upper longitudinal axis of the same than said horizontal rear guidingroller, said horizontal guiding rollers pressing against a guiding member on said printing table extending in longitudinal directionof the same so as to guide said carriage in longitudinal direction of said printing table.

' 3. For use in combination with a screen printing table having a considerable length, a device for securing the fabric to be printed to the upper surface of said printing table, said device comprising a carriage, means mounted on said carriage for applying a thin coating of adhesive to said upper surface of said printing table, two supporting pressing rolls at least one of which is mounted behind said adhesive applying means and has a width at least equal to the width of the fabric to be printed, said supporting pressing rolls arranged so as to roll on said stationary printing table in longitudinal direction thereof and to support said carriage, driving means mounted on said carriage for rotating at least one of said supporting pressing rolls, and means mounted on said carriage for rotatably supporting at a certain distance from said stationary printing table a roll of the textile fabric to be printed in such a manner that the unwinding end of the fabric reaches between said adhesive applying means and that supporting pressing roll which is immediately behind said adhesive applying means during forward movement of said device so as to be pressed by said supporting pressingv roll or rolls against thereto, means mounted on said carriage for applying during said movement a thin coating of adhesive to said table surface, two pressing rolls mounted behind said adhesive applying means and having each at least a width equal to the width of the fabric to be printed, said pressing rolls arranged so as to roll on said stationary printing table in longitudinal direction thereof and to support said carriage, driving means mounted on said carriage for rotating at least one of said pressing rolls, thereby moving said carrlage on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, and means mounted on said carriage for rotatably supporting at a certain distance from said stationary printing table a roll of the textile fabric to be surface of said printing table, said device: comprising a carriage movable on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, means mounted on said carriage for applying during said movement a thin coating of adhesive to said table surface, two pressing rolls mounted behind said adhesive applying means and having each at least a width equal to the width of the fabric to be printed,'said pressing rolls arranged so as to roll on said stationary printing table in longitudinal direction thereof and to support said carriage, an electric motor mounted on said carriage for rotating at least one of said pressing rolls, thereby moving said carri'age on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, and means mounted on said carriage for supporting thereon rotatably and slidably in direction normal to the direction of the movement of said carriage a roll of the textile fabric to be printed in such a manpressing roll which is nearer to said adhesive ap-' plying means so as to be pressed by said pressing rolls against the adhesive coated surface of said stationary printing table, thereby causing the fabric to adhere to the same.

6, Method of handling a fabric during screen printing comprising the steps of coating a stationary screen printing table with a waxy adhesive coating, placing upon said waxy' adhesive coating a fabric to be printed so that the same firmly adheres to the same without a possibility of unintentional slipping during printing, and removing after printing said printed fabric from said waxy adhesive coating by simply detaching it from the same.

7. Method of handling fabrics during screen printing comprising the steps of coating the upper surface of a stationary screen printing table with a non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive coating, placing upon said non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive coating a first fabric layer to be printed so that the same flrmly adheres to said non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive coating without a possibility of unintentional slipping during printing, removing after printing said printed first fabric t layer from said non-aqueous permanently slightprinted in such a manner that the unwinding end of the fabric reaches between said adhesiveapplying means and that pressing roll which is nearer to said adhesive applying means so as to be 1y sticky adhesive coating by simply detaching it from the same, placing thereafter on said nonaqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive coating from which said first printed fabric layer has been removed another fabric layer to be treated in the same way as said removed first printed fabric layer, removing after printing said second printed fabric layer in the same way as said first printed fabric layer has been removed. and repeating said process with other fabric layers, as often as desired.

8. Method of handling a fabric during screen printing comprising the steps of covering the'upper surface of a stationary screen printing table with a coating of a heated molten waxy adhesive, placing upon said waxy adhesive coating a fabric to be printed so that the same firmly adheres to said waxy adhesive coating without a possibility of unintentional slipping during printing, and removing after printing said printed fabric from said waxy adhesive coating by simply detaching it from the same.

9. Method of handling fabrics during screen printing comprising the steps of covering the upper surface of a stationary screen printing table with a coating of a heated molten waxy adhesive, placing upon said waxy adhesive coating a first fabric layer to be printed so that the same firmly adheres to said waxy adhesive coating without a possibility of unintentional slipping during printing, removing after printing said printed first fabric layer from said waxy adhesive coating by simply detaching it from the same. placing thereafter on said waxy adhesive coating from which ing during movement of said device a constant stream of said molten waxy adhesive from said a lif 'adhesive.

said first fabric layer has been removed another fabric layer to be treated in the same way as said removed first printed fabric layer, removing after printing said second printed fabric layer in the same way as said first printed fabric layer has been removed, and repeating said process with other fabric layers, as often as desired.

10. Method of handling a fabric during screen printing comprising the steps of coating a stationary screen printing table with an adhesive waxy coating, placing upon said adhesive waxy coating a fabric to be printed, pressing said fabric against said adhesive waxy coating so that said fabric firmly adheres to the same without a possibility of unintentional slippin during printing, and removing after printing said printed fabric from said adhesive waxy coating by simply detaching it from the same.

11. Method of handling fabrics during screen printing comprising the steps of coating the upper surface of a stationary screen printing table with a permanently sticky adhesive coating, placing upon said permanently sticky adhesive coating a first fabric layer to be printed, pressing said first fabric layer to be printed on said permanently sticky adhesive coating so that the same firmly adheres to said permanently sticky adhesive coating without a possibility of unintentional slipping during printing, removing after printing said printed first fabric layer from said permanently sticky adhesive coating by simply detaching it from the same, placing and pressing thereafter on said permanently sticky adhesive coating from which said first printed fabric layer has been removed another fabric layer to be treated in the same way as said removed first printed fabric layer, removing after printing said second printed fabric layer in the same way as said first printed fabric layer has been removed, and repeating said process with other fabric layers, as often as desired.

12-. Screen printing table having a flat upper surface covered with an adhesive wax coating.

13. For use in combination with a longitudinal stationary screen printing table, a device for ap- Y plying a coating of a waxy adhesive to the upper surface of said printing table, said device comprising a container for said waxy adhesive, means for heating said container so as to melt said waxy adhesive, means for moving said entire device over the upper surface of said printing table in longitudinal direction of the same, and means for guid- 14. For use in combination with a stationary screen printing table having a considerable length but being relatively narrow, a device for placing a longitudinal piece of fabric to be printed onthe upper surface of said printing table, said device comprising a carriage, two parallel cylindrical supporting rolls at least one of which has a width at least equal to the width of the fabric to be printed, said parallel cylindrical supporting rolls mounted on said carriage and arranged so as to be adapted to roll on said stationary printing table in longitudinal direction thereof and to support said carriage, driving means mounted on said carriage for rotating at least one of said parallel cylindrical supporting rolls, and means mounted on said carriage for rotatably supporting at a certain distance from said stationary printing table a roll of the textile fabric to be printed in such a manner that the unwinding end of the fabric reaches said upper surface of said printing table before at least one of said parallel cylindrical supporting rolls during forward movement of said device, so that said fabric is pressed by said cylindrical pressing roll or rolls against said upper surface of said stationary printing table.

15. For use in combination with a, stationary screen printing table having a considerable length, a device for placing a fabric to be printed on the upper surface of said printing table, said device comprising a carriage movable on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, two supporting cylindrical pressing rolls rotatably mounted on said carriage and having each a width at least equal to the width of the fabric to be printed, said supporting cylindrical pressing rolls arranged so as to roll on said stationary printing table in longitudinal direction thereof and to support said carriage, an electrical motor mounted on said carriage for rotating at least one of said supporting cylindrical pressing rolls, thereby moving said carriage on the upper surface of said table in longitudinal direction and parallel thereto, and means mounted on said carriage for rotatably supporting at a certain distance from said stationary printing table a roll of the textile fabric to be printed in such a, manner that the unwinding end of the fabric reaches said upper surface of said printing table before said supporting cylindrical pressing rolls during forward movement of the same so that said fabric is pressed by said supporting cylindrical pressing rolls against said upper surface of said printing table.

16. Screen printing table having a fiatupper surface covered with a non-aqueous permanently slightly sticky adhesive coating.

ARNOLD EDDY. 

